We all matter

Though I meant it when I said that the easiest thing in the world to do is to say hello, I do understand how scary this exact endeavor can be.  People are not always as kind or as welcoming as we hoped they would be.

Just as we tend to anthropomorphize animals both real and inanimate, we all often mistakenly forget that not everyone views the world the same way we do.  This projection can sometimes make reality feel like it is crashing down around us.

It doesn’t have to be this way though.  Realize that every person you see, no matter how cool or popular they may pretend to be, is insecure at times.  Everyone has walls and, no matter how haphazard or irrational they may seem to you, it is not your job to forcefully attempt to crash through them.

Start small.  By simply sharing a hello you are showing another person that you see them, that they are indeed a part of your world.  If the person ignores you or, worse, treats you poorly, know that this is a reflection of some innate character flaw they are battling with rather than a judgment of you.  Believe it or not, the people who shun others based simply upon outward appearance are usually the ones battling the heaviest insecurities.

Every person in the world wants to be loved; every person wants to know that they matter.  Even the ones who push people away do so out of fear of rejection.   We have all been there.

It is sad that every human alive has experienced moments of self-doubt and low self-worth so powerful that running away seems the only logical choice, but it is a common experience.  We did it as children when we threatened to run away from our parents, and we all still experience it from time to time even today. 

What I ask in these moments is for you to stop and think about what you are specifically running from.  I would wager that it is not all of humanity.  Rather, it is more than likely a certain moment in time that went the opposite direction you hoped or expected it would.

Learn from these moments.  Take a step back and ask yourself why they went the way they did.  Did you hope that your crush thought about you the way you think about them, even when they hardly know you?  Did you hope for an invite to an event even though no one knew you actually wanted to go?  Did you expect an instant connection with someone who believes that the simple act of opening up to another person is a risk?

Life is truly about lessons.  It is about us stepping back and learning from what happened in any given moment.  Most important, it is about us learning to tell the difference between what we control in that moment and what we don’t.

Trust me when I say that not everything is going to go as you hoped it would; life is not supposed to be easy.  We would not grow to become our best self if everything was handed to us.  All of us are meant to struggle, to have doubt and fear, anxiety and stress.  We experience these things because they best help us figure out not only who we are but also what we truly want out of life.

Every person possesses the power to make the world a better place.  Choose to face and understand your pain instead of hoping for a miracle to come knocking on your door.  This means leaning on and opening up to others; just know that sometimes the ones we choose to lean on are not strong enough in that moment to support our weight.

Whenever this happens don’t give up.  Instead, keep searching.  I promise that the world is full of people willing to help.  It just so happens that sometimes you need to do the work necessary to find them.

Send us to Space

Who knew that a community college could work with NASA?  As it turns out, LBCC's own Parker Swanson did.  

In fact, for the second year in a row Parker's pride and joy, the Space Exploration Club at LBCC, is working on a project with America's space agency.  This time their goal is to send a cosmic ray detector into space.  But first, they need your help.

For those who don't know, a cosmic ray is high-energy radiation that originates mainly outside of our solar system.  What makes understanding these rays important is that they produce showers of secondary particles that penetrate and affect the Earth's atmosphere.  Though the atmosphere absorbs most of the radiation, the pieces that do make it through wreak havoc on software, CPU units and even flight control systems on airplanes, increase ozone depletion, and increase the overall radiation exposure for humans.  

Though at least part of the above paragraph probably gave you a momentary pause, it turns out that are a group of student at LBCC that think about cosmic rays daily.  They think about them so much that even NASA believes that they can help in the collection necessary to better understanding their  harmful ways. 

As one of only two community colleges nationwide chosen to participate in the annual "RockOn" rocket-instrumentation workshop at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, the sights of this years’ team is to build off of the success of the 2014 “Rocket Women” team (Hazel Betz, Ariel Stroh and Ashley Trout) that literally launched the aerospace program at LBCC. 

Led by holdover Betz, a passionate organizer who wears her enthusiasm for the cosmos on her sleeve, the goal of this year’s team is to improve upon the issues currently plaguing cosmic ray collection technology.  This means creating not only their own detector (with the help of three mechanical engineers at OSU), but also designing and programing the software and hardware necessary to make it function properly.  

If their design works as envisioned, students at LBCC will actually change the way space agencies around the world collect data on cosmic rays.  As current member Levi Willmeth, a soft-spoken but insightful sophomore put it, “Where else are you going to build something and send it into space?”.

As amazing as this opportunity seems, NASA is still a struggling entity and cannot afford to cover all of the costs associated with this dream.  This is where you come in.  

Currently $6000 short of the funding necessary to make all of this a reality (and with a rapidly approaching deadline of Feb. 15), making a donation of even $1 can make a difference in the lives of your fellow Roadrunners and help LBCC continue to set itself apart from community colleges across the nation. 

To help out, and to learn more, go to: http://GoFundMe.com/LBCCRockSatCteam

Remember, college is not all about classes and grades, it is also about branching out beyond your comfort zone by finding things that challenge and intrigue you, just as the 14 members of the Space club have.  As you walk around campus, look up and read the posters and bulletin boards around you.  There are clubs and projects all over campus that you can join.  As Brianna Sparks, a high-spirited blond driven to study nuclear engineering puts it, “What a great stepping stone for my future”.


At a Glance:

Who:  LBCC Space Exploration Club
What:  Help them fund their sending a cosmic ray detector into space
Where:  GoFundMe.com/LBCCRockSatCteam
When: Fundraising deadline is Feb. 15
Why:  Help out your fellow Roadrunner.  Where else can you help someone work with NASA?

Ever feel alone out there?

Life is an interesting journey.  Full of hills and valleys that can swallow us whole or raise us to levels not believed possible, it is interesting to reflect on the commonality of every unique experience. 

While there has never been another YOU in the history of humanity, how many times have you heard the line, “Man, if only I knew then what I know now”?  It is almost as if those who utter this phrase believe that to transport back in time with current knowledge intact means an end to every regret, bad choice or missed opportunity. 

When you stop to think about it, have you ever noticed that almost everyone you know spent their childhood desperately running forward into whatever comes next?  If you are under the age of 25, you probably still feel this way.  The saddest reality is that most people are destined to spend their adulthood desperately wishing for that same passage of time to slow back down. 

As one who has already passed this threshold, I feel it is a good idea to try to help you with your journey.  My goal during my time at LBCC is to pass along knowledge gained over my two decades in academics (both as a grad and undergrad student and as an educator).  My hope is that something in each column I write will resonate with you and that this newfound awareness will help you make the most out of what is, truthfully, a very brief existence.

Know that the first step in any journey is to stretch your comfort zone.  It is an infinitely sad reality that far too many people spend their lives trapped inside their own heads, lost in the shuffle of a playlist or, worse, afraid to interact with others. 

The simplest thing in the world is to say hello. 

Every day we come into contact with people we know nothing about.  Keep in mind that while there is the possibility that you may have nothing in common, the chances are greater that you do.  Remember, none of us know the future.  For all you know your spouse or boss may be the person sitting right next to you.  Keep this in mind always when you interact with people.  

Always think about who you are presenting to the world and strive to make that persona one of kindness and likability.  Remember, you are now an adult.  No longer are you walking the halls of your high school, trying desperately to fit in.  As an adult making your way into the world, how you treat people is not only a reflection of who you are, but it is also a great indicator of how far you go in life. 

The most important thing to remember is that a successful life (getting a job, advancing a career, finding a partner, etc) is no longer about what you know.  There are literally THOUSANDS of people out there working harder than you in the same pursuits.  This means that of utmost importance is to spread your social network, not only for the doors opened and the opportunities created, but also to branch out your support group.  Trust me, you will need more than family to know, love and trust you if you want to truly succeed and survive in life.

So, if you do nothing else this week, step out of your comfort zone.  Say hello as you walk across campus, talk to the person next to you in class, on the bus or at your work.  Join a club, a team or a project.  Find people who are like you.  Above all else, find and follow your passion.  Though there is no one else in this world EXACTLY like you, I hope you start to seem the similarities in us all.